Too Young
by EstMonteDesPro
Summary: Marshall has returned to Candy Kingdom with worry that his memories will remain as such, nightmares. Will Gumball, who has moved on, accept him once more? Or has Marshall lost him to time? To another?
1. Chapter 1

**I do not own anything! Please enjoy- **

Nothing had changed in the kingdom in all of the years past. The same tainted pink hues brightened in the sun's rays, little melodies and voices' floating past whatever festivity was currently going on. None of the people had changed, none of the shrubbery, and none of the memories he had fled his mind of the kingdom. The years had seemed like multiple centuries to his worn body and as all the imagery flooded his senses his crippled control withered away.

His arm came to rest above his shoulder and he could feel the candied bark rubbing into his sleeve, jutting into little weapons. Following his arm, his head fell to a rest against his forearm. The smell of the kingdom was enough to bring him to his knees, his emotions boiling. The tantalizing sweet aroma reminded him of so many positive memories he once held of the ruler, whose own smell threaded into the kingdoms. The emotions that he felt were related to the same ruler that had brought him out of his personal shadows and into the other's bright light.

"Marshall, is that really you?" His breath caught in his throat at the sound of that voice he hadn't heard since before he fled, fists clenching. He had not hear anyone close on him. "What are you doing out here? Come inside, man, I cannot believe it has been this lo-"

"Fionna, I prefer to not. The only thing to be accomplished within those castle walls is the tearing of what is left of a heart that I have." _And you damn well know it will bring me down._ He kept his back to the woman, both tensing along with the air around them, until he heard her feet gliding her body closer to his person. Slowly turning, he ignored the overwhelming sensation to snap at her, to cause her some kind of pain. He sighed, turning his scowl towards her. Just when he thought he could not be tempted even further, he was proven wrong.

She had the same strong, independent aura but oh, she'd grown ever more beautiful. In the time he had been gone she had removed her cap, blonde hair flowing loosely around her voluptuous curves. Her lashes swirled upward, no make-up adorning her porcelain complexion. The blue remained attached to her skirts, which came as no surprise to him. However, as she raised her hand towards his face he noticed the gleaming nails; it seemed that she conquered that horrible habit. Before, whenever she would get nervous, those little nubs would fly straight to her mouth. Great, she was even more perfect than before.

"But Marshall, it has been forever and you know that Gumball would love to see you. He was so worried when you ran away that night." And there it was that clenching in his chest cavity. It was such a wonderfully harsh name to be uttered by those thin lips. He felt his head sway to the sound of such an implication of seeing the inside of the castle once more, its inhabitant once more. "We'd be more than happy to have you, old friend."

As her hand landed on his shoulder he felt an itch in the back of his throat accompanied with a sting behind his eyes. This is why he had left, to avoid hearing the only word that could break his defenses, tear his very being. _Gumball. _He knew if he had stayed there was no running from such a word and knew it would have driven him to insanity.

"I am sorry, Fionna, but I must decline your offer. I just…can't." He refused to connect her gaze to his own; instead, he chose to look towards the candied floor. It was not her fault that he and his prince had grown apart, so he need not treat her as the enemy. "Not yet, I am not ready for the toll it will take on my mind to see his face again. The name alone bares its burden."

They remained in silence, her reading over his facial expression and he avoiding her eyes. Her hand rubbed at his shoulder, a sad smile trailing out along with a sigh.

"Just know that if you decide on a different direction, one towards his companionship once more, you have to come into the kingdom. I'll make sure the gate remains open for you." With one final shoulder pat, she rounded the tree they were behind and headed back towards the kingdom, gathering the long skirts in one hand.

Oh how he had once flourished within those walls, within those pink arms of that boy. Only now could he look back at all of the foolish things that came as a result of his youth. So much could have been different if he had only acted differently, had acted better. All of the things he should have done flew back into his conscience and he felt a thin stream of heat trail down his chin.

"_Marshall Lee! How many times do I have to stand here, watching such behavior, obviously looking upon it with as much horror as I can muster, before you stop it?!" He'd always loved how Gumball's voice would heighten when he would yell at him and how his cheeks would flare with heat. _

"_More than one, your highness." He smirked down from his stoop, high upon Gumball's bed. He had himself laid within the canopy, strumming a tune that had flown into his mind. Because of his weight the canopy dipped low, pulling against its foundation. Gumball stood there, rolling his eyes at the mess that this absurd king had brought into his life. Not only had he trudged in after the rain he was ruining his draperies. _

_After an impatient minute of waiting for the dark headed man to come down from atop his bed, he turned on his heel. Knowing that it would take more than a question to get the man down he decided it was not worth his time. His fingers pulled open his overlarge armoire and he nearly crawled into it, obviously searching for something. _

"_Not more than once." Marshall could hardly hear the pink prince grumbling inside his armoire. _

"_Excuse me?" _

_Gumball pulled his head from the inside to glance back at him, a smug look gracing his soft features. "Your grammar is leaning more towards the less perfect side of a pendulum." He gave a shrug, not sparing the other boy a glance. That would only annoy him all the more, to not gain the desired response from his pesky guest. _

_Huffing, the prince turned back to his task. It was just another moment before Gumball had found what he was looking for and had slammed the doors closed. The loud noise interrupted his own thoughts, forcing him to look towards the pink boy in question. _

_From his spot on top of Gumball's bed he noticed there was something out of place behind Gumball's back. His pink fingers clutched a tight hold around something black. His own eyes lit up at the scene, because he knew what it was. Gumball was holding his old shirt firmly and a faint blush had speckled its way across his cheeks. Their eyes met for a swift second before the prince had retreated into his bathroom that was adjoined with his room. Marshall could not help the chuckle that left his throat, thinking on the complex little pink one. _

_Every night they would go through the same routine. Gumball would yell, attempt to hide the shirt, but emerge with the black shirt pulled nearly to the hem of his pink briefs. It was the routine that went on inside the bathroom that took a short eternity. Gumball would stay in there, clambering and crashing sounds always present, until he was satisfied with the amount of citizens he had awoken. Moments later, after Gumball had made himself proper for rest, he shuffled from behind the door and pushed it closed with his heel. Tugging at his briefs, he approached Marshall's throne. _

"_Will you be staying with me tonight?" He peeked from behind his bangs, clearly not wanting to meet the vampire's gaze. Reaching out, his pale pink fingers clutched ahold of the drapes hanging from the canopy, tracing their designs. _

"_You know that I cannot, little prince." The vampire floated down, levitating in front of the boy. He looked towards the boy's delicate fingers and felt his own twitch, yearning to interlock the ten of them. Instead, he settled with ruffling Gumball's hair. "Tomorrow, maybe." _

_Pink eyes met his own, challenging because they knew the outcome of such an empty promise. After the silence filled the room, the pink head nodded, "Just don't forget my upcoming ball." His own dark head affirmed he would not before he was gone from the window. _

_Once he had arrived back to his own room he noticed the bouquet he still had lying on his bed. Pink and black roses wove together with little babies' breath poking through sparkly leaves. He had the same bouquet for the boy for the longest time but could not think of the right time to present it. At the ball, he vowed, was when they would be delivered. _

_He knew Gumball was most likely curious as to why he never lingered with him any longer than hours, but he could not explain all of that to such a perfect being. No, he could not explain his love. Explain he needed to be from him because he stole his breath. Needed to be away so he could think about him all the more. Away so he could write, write their song until it was complete. He could never tell the boy that he could not touch him longer than in passing because he was worried of not being able to pull himself away. _

_Yes, there was nothing more than Gumball that he wanted. There was only that thought, that he was not what the boy needed. That holding his hand would burn his reputation, that using up more of his time would affect his rule, and that staying the night would taint his innocence. And the other thought, that even though Gumball cherished all he had to give, without question, the boy could never understand his position. It was the mere flowers and band shirts that meant nothing because the prince deserved so much more that he could not offer. _

_The boy consumed his thoughts to such an extent he did not know what to do with himself, let alone the one he loved. He threw himself onto his bed, pulling the pillow close to his chest, and imagined it was Gumball that he was holding. The thought alone made his bed seem so large, his body not enough to fill its surface. But if he could only get the pink one under the black sheets with him, it would be full. It would be bearable. _

_It was not until the ball though, when his song was nearly complete, that he was ready for the unthinkable. Worried what to wear, he mussed his hair into such a mess and threw on the usual clothes. He did not have time for such petty thoughts that would cause him to be even later. Pushing against time, he rushed to grab his guitar and the bouquet. He traveled as fast as the wind allowed, his mind thumping, and he recited his song to himself. Over and over he recited, hoping nothing would go wrong, until he reached Candy Kingdom. _

_Sighing, he tried to flatten his hair and smooth the wrinkles from his clothes. Once he was ready for entrance and had caught his breath, he approached the door. It was his second thought that he decided with because who would he be if he chose the common door as an entrance. His fingers circled the knob as a smirk crossed his face when he thought of the lecture he would receive for such a stunt. Just as he pulled the knob his eyes fell on a scene that caused his heart to fall onto the chocolaty dirt below. _

_Gumball was at the middle of the dance floor, arms around Fionna, swaying to the music with his eyes closed, arm securing her close to his chest. The blue of her dress encircled their feet and followed every which way they moved. His fists clenched the words of his song and broke some of the flower stems before he tore his eyes away. No, it would not be tonight he would be made fool of. _

Looking back now he could see all that he should have done, in each scenario that would have taken the three of them down different paths. That first night he should have held the boy until he ran out of breath, should have smothered him with flowers, and given him all the time he possessed. The events of the ball he turned away from would haunt him even in his eternal slumber, until his dreams decided that it was here those thoughts would be rectified.

**What do you guys think? I may continue with this but it is kind of a rough draft in my mind right now. If you are interested please R&R, follow, and fav. Thanks you for getting this far! - Madz**


	2. Chapter 2

_**Long overdue but I hope you enjoy this. **_

_**Because your review inspired me to continue this fic, I am dedicating this chapter to **__ReveChanson__**. Thank you dear and if it were not for your encouragement this would not be up now. **_

_**I own nothing. **_

As the light shone through the drapes of the room, its power was caught in a tiny golden crown. The crown took the light into itself and cast a soft glow over the rest of the room. Soft noises surrounded the silent room as all of the palace's inhabitants were beginning their days. While the outside had already begun its day, the boy who lay inside remained less than lively.

Light breaths fell from his thin open lips. He had been lying there for a short while but could not draw himself into any kind of waking stupor. At first he rolled from left to right trying to urge himself upwards, but then he settled back in the middle of his plush cushions. His pillows brought him an immense amount of comfort because he knew as soon as he left them that he would not be returning to their warmth until a much later time. Wrapping his arms around his sole comfort, his mind wandered to the ticking of clock to his side.

Clocks were such nuisances. All day long they would click away to remind him of the next step of the day. For such small things they dictated his life way too much. _Tick. Tock. _He gave a sigh.

Later that day he knew there would be the long awaited ball. The grandiosity of the event would consist of him on his feet for hours, dancing with mindless busybodies, and greeting nameless faces. It was an event drafted for the pure sake of publicity and nothing more. It was only good for getting his name spread amongst the attendees and creating relations with them. _Tick. Tock. _Not only would he have to interact with those people, he would also have to make himself enjoy them for the moments that they watched him. His mouth would be sore from his smiles and laughs and his feet exhausted from their walking and whirling. Then he would retire to his chambers like nothing had happened and wake to the sound of the same clock come dawn.

_Tick. Tick. Tick. _

Huffing, he reached around his pillow and grabbed a hold of the clock, glaring at its face. It was stuck again, its needle twitching back and forth between the six and seven. Giving it a quick thump, he smiled as the needle ceased moving. The game he played with the clock was his least favorite part of the day. Every morning it would cease to work after he was awake- only to begin its enslaving trance and die after forcing him to rise.

Placing it back at his bedside table, Gumball pushed himself into a sitting position. As his face split into a yawn he ran his fingers through his hair and across his eyelids. He sat there for a few moments, staring at the wall, until deciding the day had officially begun.

As he stood he felt the sense that there was something off in his room. There was another presence that was not usually there and after a few moments of standing in the same spot with that feeling, Gumball began to get the creeps. Slowly, he turned his body so that he could check out his surroundings. His vanity was in the same spot with all of its occupants, his armoire stood with his clothes waiting for him to choose from, and the drapes still hung loosely by the window. There was nothing in the closet or under his bed. After shaking out his bed sheets and finding nothing, he decided it had just been a mistake on his part.

Everything was where it should have been, well, everything except for the window. Slamming the sill shut, he pulled the drapes closer together, sealing his room off. He was sure that he had been sleep walking as of late because he made sure to close it before climbing into bed but the next day he would always find it open. If he kept leaving that dastard thing open he would surely catch a bug of some sort.

Walking over to his vanity, he plopped onto the stool and began to ready himself for the day. Methodically, he sat there primping and proppering his self until he was the ruler that the Candy Kingdom was so proud to serve under. Looking into the mirror, he gave a small pep talk to his reflection; which finished his prepping for the day. Before leaving the room he threw the window a weary look.

The day went as it usually did up until the party. For the start of the day he worried himself over treaties and trustees from foreign and domestic entities. Once he was done with half of that monstrous stack of repeating concerns from his fellows, he moved to the great hall to listen to verbal concerns from his advisors and consultants. Unlike the usual concerns with the economic conditions of the realm, their main focus today happened to be the grand ball that they were throwing today. Most of the fuss came over what it was Gumball would be dressed in. Said King could not help his eyes rolling at the important topic.

At this point Fionna burst into their secret meeting to ensure all that she had already laid out his clothing for this afternoon. As much as he enjoyed the woman's company most of the time, she could be so bothersome the other half. There was one point in his younger years when he would do anything to just hold her close. Shortly after Marshall had disappeared the blonde was his only source of comfort and they had tried out being more than friends.

Unfortunately for the two, there was a serious difference between Marshall and Fionna. Whenever Gumball would embrace Marshall the vampire would chuckle deeply and pull him securely against his chest; with Fionna, he would pull her close and hear her giggling against his shoulder. Every time she would do that, that noise, he could feel the bile rise in his throat. That giggle was the downfall of whatever they could have been.

After she had crashed their meeting, he holed himself in his lab to hold some scientific research to ease his already worn mind. The bubbling of the beakers and the steam rising to fog his goggles brought him excitement. He had rolled his lab coat's sleeves up so that he could easily pour the chemical he'd concocted into the colony he had been growing for the past week. Just as he began to drip the last mixture into the petri dish, the door came crashing open and in his shock he knocked his beaker to the floor. He could feel his eye twitching at the obnoxious intrusion and failed experiment.

"It's time to get ready Gumball!" The clicking of the blonde's heels alerted him to Fionna's presence before her voice did. He finished picking up the broken glass shards before turning to the woman. Heaving a sigh, he nodded in her already dressed direction.

**xXxXxXxXxX**

Time flew for the prince once he was finished dressing. It seemed to him as if he blinked and when he opened his eyes his voice was giving the opening welcome to all of the occupants who'd made it to Candy Kingdom. His eyes cast around the room and separated all of the royal faces he noticed from those that were new to him. Weaving around and within the royal figureheads was the star-struck general populace. They were all scampering around, vying for the attention and affection of those born to more power than themselves.

Clapping his hands together, he gave a warm smile and moved from the podium as the music began. His mouth now dry from the welcoming, he moved towards the drink table. Off to his peripheral he caught sight of Fionna with some random prince and he laughed. They were comparing the make of their swords with one another and it seemed hers was the better of the two. He knew that the prince was displeased with that finding when he noticed the man's smile turn into a scowl. Gumball could not hear but he could feel Fionna taunting the man about his lesser prowess. The man fell into her trap and responded with equal ferocity.

She grabbed ahold of the bottom of her skirts and gave them a yank. Blue material floated to the floor as her heeled feet took their battle stance. She grinned at the red faced Duke of Whatever, gesturing for him to make any move if he dared. The pink haired prince watched her lips moving, teasing the man into strife. Her grin widened as he took the bait and flew towards her.

Gumball turned away from their bravado display just as their steel clashed together. He did not feel like watching their tussle because he already knew the outcome. The end result, as it was always, would be the blonde standing over an embarrassed and beaten man.

As he made his way to the punch table different accents greeted him until he could feel his dehydration clawing up his throat. By the time he'd made it to the liquid his chest was tightening in wanting and as the red juice slid down his throat he savored every bit until the last drop. He grabbed a second glass, downing it faster than the first until a round of applause came from over his shoulder. Worried with what had captured the guest's attentions, he decided on returning to his drink later.

Dotting the red stain from his lips, he turned his body around. Shocked at what greeted his eyes, he was barely able to catch his glass before it slipped from his fingers. Fionna laid on the ground, the prince standing with a hand extended down to her. Her sword was struck into the ground behind the man and his own was fastened back in its sheath. Disbelief was evident in her gaze, which seared into the hand reaching out to her. Blinking twice, she grasped onto it and burst into a fit of laughter.

Patting him on the back, she smiled at him in congratulations. His eyes were warm on her laughing face; both of them mirroring the other's happiness. Their hands never came apart as he guided her into the outdoors. Just as the duo left, the rest of his guests moved back together, pairing up for the next dance.

Off to the side of the room Gumball noticed a small girl sitting alone with eyes glued to the dance floor. Placing down his glass with a clink, he moved over to kneel in front of her. Besides, now that Fionna was gone, he had lost his usual dance partner.

Wide blue eyes stared at his offered hand before nimble fingers took his into hers. Moving in and out of the dancing cluster, he guided the two of them to the middle of the floor. He rested his arms around her small body and bent slightly at his waist so that he could accommodate her height better. Honestly, he could say that he did not care whether his posture looked forced or awkward because her smile lit up as he began to twirl her. That smile made his cramped back better.

"I…" She trailed off, looking to the side with a blush on her cheeks. "…don't really know how to dance, my King."

"That's fine, dear." Flashing her peeking eyes a smile, he directed them around the other dancers. "Just follow my lead."

They said nothing more until the song had ended and the people parted from one another. He consoled her worries by telling her that she was a magnificent dancer and that he hoped to run into her again later that night. After she returned his enthusiasm tenfold she bounced over to her mother's side.

Chuckling, he watched her little finger jabbing in his direction as her lips quickly moved. As he turned from the cute child, he came face to face with a heart attack.

A breath caught in his throat and he forgot how to make it flow once more. His hands clenched at his side, sweat perspiring in his palms. When he finally let go of his breath, his chest tightened and he thought his heart was trying to gnaw its way from his ribcage.

Laying on his back in midair, directly in front of Gumball's face, was Marshall Lee. Time hadn't changed the dark haired man in his physical looks but there were minor differences that the pink haired male easily spotted. It was the look in those crimson eyes that were capturing his body and filling his mind. The look held more depth and passion than Gumball could handle. As the floating boy's lip quirked upwards he could see longer canines that had grown in the older male's absence. His jet black hair was slicked back and he wore a suit. The suit's jacket had been discarded earlier, leaving a loose tie and half way unbuttoned shirt to lure Gumball even closer.

"Hey, Gum." Straightening himself, Marshall floated an inch above the floor. He bowed lowly, extending a hand towards the Candy Kingdom's King. "Can I have this next dance?"

"I don't know, can you?" Gumball's voice came as a surprise to his own ears but he was thankful his mouth took control of the situation. His brain surely wasn't doing anything. Marshall, still smirking, lifted his head to meet the pink boy's gaze.

"May I have this dance?"

_**Well, I am in need of some thoughts from you guys. Do you think Gumball will give him his hand or leave him hanging? If he does give him his hand, what will the dance lead to? **_

_**Someone recently asked why it is I take so long to update, which I know I do, and I decided to post on all of my stories the reason. Usually, I have a few stories going on at once and I judge based off of the response I get from the readers which I will continue first. The stories with the most reviews and such get my priority over those that do not. So if this is your cup of tea I need to know! **_

_**Alright everyone. I surprised myself with finishing this chapter. I will consider the first two chapters as an intro to the main course so I hope to be hearing from you soon. **_

_**-Madz**_


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